CIP Gold Processing Equipment Selection Guide for Rock Gold Mine Cases

更新时间：2026-05-23

Okay, here is a guide on gold processing equipment selection for rock gold mines, written in the requested style and format for a Baijiahao article.

Hey, friends! We've been talking about placer gold all the time. Today, let's switch focus and talk about the real "hard nut" - rock gold mines. For many newcomers, when they encounter a gold vein, they often get a headache: the grade is high, but how do you get the gold out? Crushing it finely and then using a sluice box often results in a lot of fine gold being lost.

Don't worry, the most mature and practical method in the industry right now is the CIP (Carbon-in-Pulp) process. Although it sounds a bit technical, it's essentially a sophisticated stomach for extracting gold. Today, we'll use real cases to explain the complete set of equipment for the CIP process, helping you quickly become a professional.

First, What is the CIP Process? Why is it Used for Rock Gold?

Simply put, the CIP process is: after crushing and grinding the ore into a slurry, cyanide is added to dissolve the gold. Then, activated carbon is used to "absorb" the gold from the solution. The process is: Crushing → Grinding → Leaching → Carbon Adsorption → Desorption → Smelting.

The advantage? Very practical!

Strong adaptability: It handles almost all types of oxidized ore and quartz vein gold ore.
High recovery rate: For gold that is finely disseminated, the recovery rate is much higher than simple gravity separation. Recovery rates of over 90% are common.
Mature technology: The technology is very reliable, with low management difficulty for the site.

Next, we'll go through the equipment line by line!

Equipment Selection and Functional Analysis

1. The "Crusher" - The First Step to Liberate Gold

Before leaching, the gold must be separated from the rock. The first step is crushing.

Jaw Crusher: The "big boss" of the entrance, reducing the large 500mm raw ore down to about 100-120mm.
Cone Crusher: The "refined worker", breaking it down further to 12-20mm, preparing for the ball mill.

A must-know for site selection: For small mines (under 200 tons/day), a jaw crusher + hammer crusher combination is an affordable option. For medium and large mines, a jaw crusher + cone crusher combination is a better choice for stable operation.

2. The "Mill" - Grind It as Fine as Dough

The finer the grinding, the easier the gold is exposed and dissolved.

Ball Mill: The absolute main equipment, used with a spiral classifier or hydrocyclone to form a closed-circuit grinding system.
Key parameters: Grinding fineness generally needs to reach -200 mesh (0.074mm) accounting for 70-85%. Too coarse and gold won't dissolve; too fine and it's a waste of electricity and clogs equipment.

3. The "Leaching Tank" - Dissolving Gold Here

This is the core of the CIP process. The ground slurry is mixed with cyanide in a stirred tank.

Equipment: It's a vertical cylindrical tank with an air or mechanical stirring impeller.
Structural feature: The bottom wears heavily, so it's recommended to use a stone-lined anti-wear design. The sidewalls can use rubber liners or carbon steel.
How many are needed? Usually, 5-8 tanks are connected in series. The first 1-2 tanks are for leaching (pre-leaching).
The middle 3-4 tanks are for carbon adsorption (CIP).
The last 1-2 tanks are for protection (to prevent carbon loss).

4. The "Carbon Screen" - Locking the Gold

In the adsorption tank, activated carbon is added to catch the gold from the solution. To keep the carbon from being washed away, a special Intermittent Carbon Screen (MIP Screen) must be installed.

Effectively separate carbon from slurry.
Life tip: The screen deck is a consumable part. Be sure to check for blockages daily; a clogged screen means no gold!

Real Case: A Certain Rock Gold Mine + Advanced CIP Configuration

Case background: A mine in Jiangxi Province (a major mining province) processes 500 tons per day of quartz vein gold ore, with a grade of 3.5 g/t.

Equipment Line Selection:

Two-stage crushing: PE600x900 Jaw Crusher + PYB1200 Cone Crusher.
Grinding: MQY2740 Overflow Ball Mill + 2FG-20 Spiral Classifier.
Leaching & Adsorption: 6 sets of φ6000 Leaching Tanks (5 for adsorption, 1 for pre-leaching), using the Xinhai hybrid agitation impeller for more even mixing.
Carbon Screen: Intermittent Carbon Screen, 2 sets (1 working, 1 standby).
Desorption & Smelting: High-temperature and high-pressure desorption system, making gold mud then smelting into gold bars.

Actual Results:

Grinding fineness: -200 mesh accounts for 80%.
CIP recovery rate: Reaching a staggering 92.5%.
Operating cost: Roughly controlled at 120-150 RMB per ton of ore (including electricity, chemicals, labor).

Comparison: CIP vs. Other Processes

Feature	CIP (Carbon-in-Pulp)	CIL (Carbon-in-Leach)	Gravity Separation + Flotation
Process flow	Leach first, adsorb later	Simultaneous leach and adsorb	Simple, low cost
Gold recovery rate	Higher (90-95%)	Highest (>95% for specific ores)	Low (50-70%)
Applicable scenario	Oxidized ore, quartz vein	Refractory ore, high-arsenic ore	Coarse gold, simple ore
Equipment cost	Medium	High	Low
Management difficulty	Simple	Very simple	Complex

Summary advice: The CIP process is the "safe choice" for the current market. It's stable, reliable, not as aggressive as CIL, and more profitable than gravity separation.

Daily Operation and Maintenance Tips (Dry Goods!)

Density first: The density of the grinding system must be stable, ideally around 35-45%. Too low, and the water consumption is high; too high, and the slurry is too viscous for gold to dissolve.
Cyanide dosage: Generally controlled at 0.03% - 0.05%. Avoid excessive amounts; an appropriate amount is best.
Carbon management: Activate new carbon before use. Old carbon should be regularly removed and analyzed for gold grade (usually around 3000-5000 g/t).
Screen check: Check the carbon screen every 2 hours. If damaged, the "big gold master" will slip right out of the tailings!
pH control: Keep pH between 10-11 (using lime). This is a must for safety and efficiency. If too low, hydrogen cyanide gas is easily produced; if too high, gold dissolves slowly.

Conclusion

Choosing the gold processing equipment is like buying a car; you have to drive it yourself to know. For quartz veins, altered rock type, and oxidized ore, the CIP process is definitely a reliable old-timer. For beginners, it's recommended to look for more cases and find a manufacturer with a laboratory to run a quick test.

When selecting equipment, consider these SEOs well: Gold ore beneficiation process and Gold mining equipment model selection. Don't just look at the price; look at the quality and after-sales service.

Got specific ore samples? Feel free to send a private message and share pictures; I'll help you take a look!